When I was in school, most of my learning was accomplished through note-taking and memorization. I was bored much of the time, and was rarely given a chance to truly engage in my learning. In the BEd program at St Thomas University, however, I have spent the majority of my time working in groups and learning with others. I have found that discussing, analyzing, and synthesizing information really helps me to engage in a topic and learn it and understand it well.
As a teacher, I was to inspire a love of learning for its own sake in my students. I want them to explore and discover and analyze everything that comes their way, both in and out of the classroom. During my internships, I have witnessed first-hand that students become engaged when you have them working in groups doing meaningful tasks, especially when you can relate the work to their interests and learning styles. I have yet to use a project-based learning project in my classroom; however, this is a goal of mine for the future as PBL focuses on real-world contexts for learning, making learning more meaningful for students and allowing them to use skills such as critical problem solving and collaboration.
After reading and studying the works of various psychologists including Piaget, Bruner, Doolittle, and Applefield et al, I want to employ a constructivist pedagogy in my classroom. I have never thought of children as empty vessels waiting to be filled, and now I have theoretical knowledge to back up practices that I have observed and experienced. I am looking forward to implementing this pedagogy into my own classroom and seeing how my students react to it and run with it.
As a teacher, I want to encourage my students in the belief that work and learning, whether done in class or at home, are valuable in and of themselves, not just because when you're done you will get a reward. When I was growing up my parents taught me the value of hard work. Unfortunately, many students haven't been taught to value hard work, and it may be difficult for me to encourage them, especially if they have little interest in the subject. While I will encourage students to do their best, I will try to emphasize the work they put into something rather than simply focusing on a letter grade. It is my hope that I will instill in my students a love for learning and discovery and that they will get at least some enjoyment from being in my class. I look forward to classes in which everyone feels respected and comfortable and encouraged to learn in an engaging way. I do not want to teach; I want to facilitate learning.
When I was in school, most of my learning was accomplished through note-taking and memorization. I was bored much of the time, and was rarely given a chance to truly engage in my learning. In the BEd program at St Thomas University, however, I have spent the majority of my time working in groups and learning with others. I have found that discussing, analyzing, and synthesizing information really helps me to engage in a topic and learn it and understand it well.
As a teacher, I was to inspire a love of learning for its own sake in my students. I want them to explore and discover and analyze everything that comes their way, both in and out of the classroom. During my internships, I have witnessed first-hand that students become engaged when you have them working in groups doing meaningful tasks, especially when you can relate the work to their interests and learning styles. I have yet to use a project-based learning project in my classroom; however, this is a goal of mine for the future as PBL focuses on real-world contexts for learning, making learning more meaningful for students and allowing them to use skills such as critical problem solving and collaboration.
After reading and studying the works of various psychologists including Piaget, Bruner, Doolittle, and Applefield et al, I want to employ a constructivist pedagogy in my classroom. I have never thought of children as empty vessels waiting to be filled, and now I have theoretical knowledge to back up practices that I have observed and experienced. I am looking forward to implementing this pedagogy into my own classroom and seeing how my students react to it and run with it.
As a teacher, I want to encourage my students in the belief that work and learning, whether done in class or at
home, are valuable in and of themselves, not just because when you're done you will get a reward. When I was growing up my parents taught me the value of hard work. Unfortunately, many students haven't been taught to value hard work, and it may be difficult for me to encourage them, especially if they have little interest in the subject. While I will encourage students to do their best, I will try to emphasize the work they put into something rather than simply focusing on a letter grade. It is my hope that I will instill in my students a love for learning and discovery and that they will get at least some enjoyment from being in my class. I look forward to classes in which everyone feels respected and comfortable and encouraged to learn in an engaging way. I do not want to teach; I want to facilitate learning.